AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Horseshoe lake - panoramio.jpg
Vadim Manuylov · CC BY-SA 3.0
Long Ridge Open Space Preserve

Wallace Stegner Bench–Horseshoe Viewpoint, 9 sights

8.9 mi · ▲ 1,517 ft · 3 hr 44 min

Wallace Stegner Bench–Horseshoe Viewpoint, 9 sights is an 8.9-mile out-and-back in Long Ridge Open Space Preserve near Vista Verde, CA. The route passes Horseshoe Lake, Horseshoe Viewpoint and Wallace Stegner Bench before reaching Two Moon Lake at the turnaround, 4.4 miles in. It climbs 1,517 ft, with sections as steep as 31% grade. It scores 12/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi2,008 – 2,556 ft · steepest grade: 31%9.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Horseshoe Loop Trail 37.31003, -122.17601
Nearest town Vista Verde, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Wallace Stegner Bench–Horseshoe Viewpoint, 9 sights

8.9 mi · ▲ 1,517 ft · 3 hr 44 min

Elevation 2,009–2,555 ft

Out & Back · Long Ridge Open Space Preserve

Trailhead: Horseshoe Loop Trail · 37.31003, -122.17601

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 90°F / low 67° · precip 0% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:16 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Horseshoe Loop Trail, heading S.
  2. 50 ftPass Horseshoe Lake.
  3. 250 ftContinue straight onto Sunny Jim Trail, heading S.
  4. 150 ftBear right onto Lambert Creek Trail, heading S.
  5. 0.1 miPass Horseshoe Viewpoint.
  6. 50 ftContinue straight onto Horseshoe Loop Trail, heading E.
  7. 450 ftContinue straight onto Tree Farm Trail, heading NE.
  8. 0.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
  9. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Chestnut Trail, heading SE.
  10. 1.6 miTurn right onto Peters Creek Trail, heading S.
  11. 450 ftTurn right onto Long Ridge Trail, heading S.
  12. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading NW.
  13. 100 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
  14. 150 ftBear left onto Portola Heights Road, heading N.
  15. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Long Ridge Road, heading SE.
  16. 250 ftPass Wallace Stegner Bench.
  17. 0.5 miPass Two Moon Lake.
  18. 500 ftBear right onto Ward Road, heading SE.
  19. 100 ftReach Wallace Stegner Bench, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  20. 100 ftBear left onto Long Ridge Road, heading SE.
  21. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading W.
  22. 0.6 miBear right onto Long Ridge Trail, heading NE.
  23. 150 ftContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading N.
  24. 100 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
  25. 0.4 miTurn left onto Peters Creek Trail, heading S.
  26. 450 ftTurn left onto Chestnut Trail, heading SE.
  27. 1.6 miContinue straight onto Tree Farm Trail, heading N.
  28. 0.2 miSharp left, heading NE.
  29. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  30. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Horseshoe Loop Trail, heading SW.
  31. 450 ftContinue straight onto Lambert Creek Trail, heading NW.
  32. 0.1 miBear left onto Sunny Jim Trail, heading NW.
  33. 150 ftContinue straight onto Horseshoe Loop Trail, heading NW.
  34. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/wallace-stegner-bench-two-moon-lake-out-back-5-lakes-12-km-6be0

Trail surface

15% dirt85% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 90°F67°
Precip0%Wind4 mphUV8Humidity32%
Hourly temperature
90°65°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:16 PM
Tue 84°63°
Wed 81°50°
Thu 89°49°
Fri 95°57°
Sat 93°52°
Sun 85°48°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.0 mi in (~89 min). Leave by 6:27 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:56 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Horseshoe Loop Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Vista Verde, California